Apparatus for lining envelopes



May 3, 1927.

. 1,627,149 a. E. P. COLLINS APPARATUS FOR LINING ENVELOPES Filed July 1926 4 SheetsSheet l J INVENTOR.

xxx/z; BY

ATTORNEYS.

1,627,149 M 1927' cs. E. P. COLLINS APPARATUS FOR LINING ENVELOPES Filed July 21, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNEYJ 1,527,149 M 1927' cs. E. P. COLLINS APPARATUS FOR LINING ENVELOYES Filed July 21, 1926 4 SheetS Sheet 4 INVENTOR. ,2;

BY yyt A TTQRN E YS.

alt)

Patented May 3, 1927.

GEORGE E: r. COLLINS; on SPRINGFIELD, MAssAoiiUsn'c'rs;

n'ssienon- To mam CHUSETTS.'

APPARATUS non LINING nnvnnorns.

Application filed July 21,

This invention relates to improvements in machines for patching blanks that is in machines for afi'ixing a strip or patch of paper in-a certain relation on another sheet or blank. The invention inits-present preterredi form is directed particularly to improvements in machines or apparatus for lining envelopes In lining envelopes it is customary to secure to an unfolded envelope blank a liner or patch considerably smaller than the blank, which liners'are of a decorative character so that when the envelope blank is folded to form an envelope they givev to the envelope and especially the inner side of its flap the appearance of an interiorilining.

Toattain the most desirable appearance, the liner should be accurately positioned on the blank, but 'obviouslywherethe blank and liner are securcdtogether merely by theordinary hand operation this is diflicult and furthermore is a slow process I One important feature of this invention is theprovision'ot a machine in which stacks of blanks and of patches or liners are disposed in definite relative positions andafter a gluing'operation a'blank and a liner are brought into superposed relationtori a joiningor aifizring-operation and is accomplished by transferring the uppermost blank of one stack onto the uppermost liner of theother stack. 7

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription of the present preferred form thereof, although it will be understood thatin practicing the invention it maybe varied or modified within wide limits wherever it is desired toss-- cure together separate elements. in the form of a patch and a blank, such as aliner and an envelope blank.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevationaliview'ot a'machine embodying the features of the invention; l V Fig. 2 is aplan view ofthe machine'taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 \vithcertain parts omitted for clearness; I

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevationalview taken on the line 3 3 of 2; r

Figs. 4-, 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views a-zl'iowing the various relative positions of. certain important parts of thelnachine as the act upon the blank andliner; r

Fig: 8 is a plan view of one of the lower 1926. Serial No. 124,017.

blank gripping devices which cooperatevvith the upper gripping dev ces to engage, and reverse a blank and tOtItUlSfGI'ltfIfOHllOIlExstack to the other;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational viewof the oo same Fig.- 10 is a sectionalview on the line 101O of Fig. 9; i i

Fig. 11 is aplan view of an envelope blank and liner in superposed relation; and. i

Fig. 12 is a view of theenvelope blank folded. into the form of an envelope showingthe liner as it appears on the flap. J Y

Reterring'to the drawings in detail, 1 rep resents a table or bed plate. forsupporting:

the various mechanisms constituting the the stacks in desired relative positions. It.

willibe understood that any reference to em velope blanks and liners is intended as a general term to include anysheet or other blank and to any patch or other sheet for securing to said'blank.

A- vertically movable rearguide 10,. against whiclrthe stack of liners Labuts, is resiliently mounted on springs 11* so as" to be depressible as shown in Fig. '3, for the purpose as will later appear.

A hold down member 12 (see Fig.t2).in the 'form'ofa bail is pivoted to the frame at 13 and carries prongs orihold-downs 14 which reston the uppermost blank of'the $301580 that only the uppermost blank may be removed or lifted from the stack by the'mechanisin new to be described. 7

A cross head 15 is fixed to the upper ends of vertically reciprocable rods 16 which are guided at opposite sides of the bed and car'- ries a blade or dauber 17 and spaced apart. daubers 18 for daubing one end of the up permost blank of the. stack witha stripe of blanks and liners and-to accurately'position glue 9 and for daubing the said blank at its other end withseparated dots as at g. The cross bar is arranged to raise and lower in a proper timed relation with the other parts of y the mechanism to thereby bring the daubers into engagement withthe uppermost blank of the stack for applying the. glue daubs as indicated.

As the daubers are brought onto the blank, there is naturally a tendency for the blank to adhere to thedaubers and to be moved upwardly by the upwardly moving daubers. This is desirable in so far as the dauber 17 is concerned as it is desirable to raise the forward end of the blank for the purpose to be later described. To prevent the rear end of theblank being raised by the daubers 18, resiliently mounted strippers 19 are carried by the daubers 18 which are spring pressed downwardly and are adapted and arranged to yieldingly bear on the uppermost blank to hold said blank down and effect a stripping of the daubers 18 from the blank as they 'aise upwardly therefrom after a daubing operation. The daubers 17 and 18'receive their supply of adhesive material, which may be glue, gum or the like, in the following man ner.

A reciprocable carriage 20 is guided in a pair of horizontal tracks 21 suitably'supported and disposed. above the bed plate at which is arranged as the carriage is reciprorated back and forth to"oll across or coir tact with the daubing surfaces of the daubers 17 and 18 and to supply adhesive thereto.

A reservoir 25 for containing adhesive material such as glue is carried by a U shaped upright 26 extending across and above the bed plate 1 and has a rotatable glueroll 27 and ascraping device 25 of usual form. This roll is preferably rotated by a belt (not shown) from the driving shaft of the machine, or it may be driven in any other suitable manner so as to rotate to present a film of glue to be taken up by the reciprocable roll 22 as it is moved into engagen'ient therewith as shown in Fig. 3. A forwardly eX- tending plate 27 of the glue reservoir 25 is provided with a slot to allow the dauber 17 to pass therethrough and functions, as the end of the dauber is moving upwardly therethrough and carrying the end of the blank, to strip the blank therefrom, after which the said end is engaged by gripping mechanism now to be described. I A transverse rotatable or oscillatable haft 28 is carried by the carriage 20 and has one or more gripping fingers 29 fixed thereto and arranged to cooperate with a transverse plate 30 to form an upper blank engaging device for engaging or holding the end of a blank as it is raised upwardly by and stripped from the dauber 17 The shaft is preferably urged" clockwise bya coil spring (not shown) and which may be attached thereto in any of the well known manners so that in elfect the end of the-blankis gripped by the grippers due to the action of allow it to rotate clockwise sothat a blank is engaged by the grippers.

Gripper bars 35, disposed below the tracks 21 and at either side of the stacks of blanks, are reciprocable in guides 36 supported by the table and are rigidly connected at'their forward ends by a transverse brace or bar 37. Lower grippers G are fixed to the rear end of each of the bars 85 for engaging the rear end of the blank after its for ward end is engaged by'the upper gripper just referred to. Said lower grippers G. each comprises a member 10 pivoted at 41 to a gripper frame as, the member 10 l'laving oppositely.disposed lingers 12. The member is adapted to swing so that either finger 12 will move towards and away from the face of the frame for clan'iping a blank between said lingers and said frame. A rod 42: loosely slidable in the frame and pivoted to the member it) has a compression spring 43 therearound which acts upon the member 10 so as tohold it in either the position shown by dotted or full lines.

As the grippers are moved to the left or towards the rear of the machine, they are in an open'position, as in'full lines in Fig. 10. Gripper actuating members a l, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, have depending portions l-4; arranged to lie in the path of the lingers 4-2 of the grippers and against which the fingers will abut so as to close the finger against an envelope blank for pinching and holding said blank be ween said linger and the gripper frame. Other devices 415 in the form of upstanding rods are also disposed in the path of Said grippers at the forward end of the bed. plate to move them in a reverse di rection or to open the gri mers and release a blank held thereby as will later appear.

A presser member comprising a plate, preferably having a. resilient face such as 51, is carried by a recherecable rod 52' which is guided in a bearing 53 of the cross bar 26.

This presser is arranged to pressthe blank onto the liner as will later appear and is also adapted to press the liner onto the stop 7 plate 10 and to depress the stopplate as it bears upon the blank 2nd liner.

A driving feed roll 60 has its opposite end trunnions in suitable bearings 61 and is driven from the main shaft 3 by means of .the belt 62 and pulleys 6-3, as shown in Fig. 1. A lower feed roll 66 cooperating with the roll 60 has its trunnions rotatable in uprights 67 which are adjustable in spaced arms 68 of a vertically reeiprocable roll supporting member 68. The member 68 is fixed to a reciprocablerod 69 which is guided on its upper end in a bearing 70 secured to the bed plate. The rod 69 is guided for a reciprocating movement atits lower end by a fork 71 of usual construction which is slidable on the main shaft A cam (notshown) and which may be of 76 carried by the side frames 2. The lever has an arm 77 for earryinga cam roll 78 inoperable engagement with the face of an operating cam 79 of the shaft 3. A spring 80 is connected between the arm 77 and side frame 2 to properly hold the roll on the face of the cam and as the shaft is rotated the lever is rocked back and forth by the cam to move the gripper bars 35 and grippers G back and forth along the tracks.

The upper carriage 20 carrying the glue daubing roll is reciproeated along its tracks by swinging levers 82 at either side of the carriage. These levers are fixed to opposite ends of an oscillatable shaft '83 and at their upper ends loosely embrace suit-able pins 82 at the sides of the carriage. An arm 8ft of one of levers 82 is pivotally connected to a rod 85 which is provided with a fork 86 slidable on the shaft 3. A cam of usual form (not shown) is fixed on said shaft and in conjunction with a suitable roll on said fork functions to raise and lower the rod to swing the levers 82 back and forth and thereby reciprocate the carriage.

A stop 90 (see Fig. 1) carried by theupright 21 is disposed in the path of an arm 91 of a lever 92 on the end of the gripper shaft 28 and as the carriage is moved for wardly or to the left the arm91 of the lever 92 will abut the stop 90 so as to rotate the shaft and grippers 29 counterclockwise against the action of the spring connected to the shaft. This movement of the grippers will release an envelope blank held between the grippers and'plate 30. As the carriage returns to the right, the arm 91 is released by the stop so that the grippers actuated by the spring will close against-the plate; but in order to hold the grippers open to receive the end of a blank delivered thereto by the dauber, a member is provided on the rod 16 which is arranged to lie in the path of an arm 116 ofthe lever 92. As the dauber is elevated to a point where the blank Will be stripped therefrom, the'member 115 will release the-lever 92 and allow said lever and shaft 28 to be moved clockwise by thespring and the grippers will close on the end of a blank carried upwardly by the dauber. Obviously, any other form of gripping devices may be employed, such as are used on wrapping machines or the like, the form shown being intended to illustrate a type that will function for the purposes described.

One of the cross head rods 16, which areguided in the ,bearingslOO, has a shoe 101 w on the lower end thereof resting on a cam roll 101 carried by the end of a lever 102 which is arranged for a rocking motion on shaft 76 while a suitable cam 102 on the main shaftacts upon the underside of said lever to raise and lower it, which movement in turn actuates the rods and daubers carried thereby.

A rod 110, reciprocable in the bed and having a fork 111 slidable on shaft 3 is actuated by a cam on the main shaft 3, has a member 113 on its upper end for carrying the upper end of the reciprocable plunger rod 52 and is adapted to move the presser plunger 50 towards and away from the stack of liners.

It will be obvious that the operating mechanism described may be varied Within wide limits as to form or that equivalent,

mechanism may be substituted therefor for operating the various parts in a proper timed relation.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described. Assume that the driving shaft is being driven. from a suitable source-of power and that the operation of the parts has been properly timed, and also that a stack of envelope blanks and liners L therefor are in proper relativev posit-ionand held therein by their respective guides.

The carriage 20 is reciprocated to the rear or to the left so that the daubing roll 22 engages the daubers 17 and 18 to supply them with glue. lVhen the carriage has returned again to the position at the right, or as shown in Fig. 2, the daubers 17 and 18 are lowered into contact with the uppermost envelope blank of the stack to apply the daubs of glue 9 and g thereto. As the daubers ascend, the forward end of the uppermost blank is carried by the dauber 1'7 upwardly against the stripper plate 27 while the rear end of the blank is stripped from the daubers 18 by thcstrippers 19. lVhen the blank contacts with thestripper plate, the upwardly moving rods carrying the member 115 will release the arm 116 of the arm 92 so that the shaft 28 will rotate clockwi e to permit the clamps 29 thereof to clamp the end of the blank against the plate 30, as shown in Fig. 41. Vith the rear end of the ill [ill

'wardly or to the right.

end being gripped as described, the blank will assume the oblique position shown in Fi l. Vith the blank in this position, the lower grippers G are moved to the left and their clamps closed by the members l-l so that the grippers will bite or clamp the blank on its opposite sides adjacent its rear end. i

lVith the blank thus engaged or held a t its opposite ends by the two sets of grippers, the upper carriage is moved to the rear or left while the lower grippers are moved torlhis movement etiects a reversal of the blank, that is it is completely turned over so that theglue spots 9 and g are now on the under side of the blank instead of on the upper side. 7

As the carriageapproaches the end of its movement tothe left, the member acts upon the lever 92 so that the upper grippers 29 will release the end of the blank while the lower gri iipers still holding the blank continue in their movement to the right so as to transfer the blank to a position over the liners L. During the latter part of this movement to the right, the roll 68 is moved downwardly to allow the grippers G to carry the end of the blank between the rolls 60 and 66. r

The gripper operating members 4-5-are located so as to open the grippers-and release the blank as the blank is properly positioned over the stack of liners. lVheu the blank is released and resting on the liners, the presser 5O descends and presses upon the blank and upon that portion of the blank resting upon the plate 10, thus biting the blank between it and the upper end of the plate to prevent a shifting movement and at thesame time causing the blank and liner to adhere together;

As the presser member is elevated after the pressing o]ieration,the lower roll 66 is elevated and in ascending it engages the lower 'ace of the blank and raises the blank upwardly. Vhen the roll 66 engages the rotating roll 60 itjis rotated thereby and co operates therewith to press the/blank and liner together and to feed them fOl'Wfil'fllY onto a table T at the forward end of the table. The lined blanks delivered to the table T may be termed into envelopes (shown in Fl 12) by any of the usual folding or forming machinery.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that I have provided a machine for assembling in-envelope blank and liner in which the uppermost blank of a stack is glued and then transferred by a reversing movementonto the uppermost liner of astack and pressed thereagainst.

I am aware that manychanges may be made in the form of the invention without departing from the scope thereof and I prefer therefore to be limited by the following supply of envelope blanks and liners in separato stacks, a daubing and blank gripping device for engaging with the 11131381111081} blank of one stack, and independently movable devices for engaging opposite ends of said blank for trai'isporting said blank over toe other stack, the said devices being arranged toreverse said blank dining its movement tronione stack to theother.

A machine of the class described comprising in combination, means for holding a supply oi blanks and liners in separate stacks, emls oi? the uppermost blank of one stack operable in opposite directions to reverse said blank and deposit it on the uppermost blank ot'the other stack.

3. 1. prising in combination, mcans for holding a supply of blanks and liners in separate stacks;

de tor engaging opposite ends of the uppei most blank ot-one stack operas 'ble in opposite directions to. reverse said blank anddeposit it on the uppermost blank otbthe'other stack, and a gun'nning device tor gumming the uppermost blank ot one stack and for inserting an end of said blank in one of said devices,

.l; A machine oi. the class described comprising in combination means for holding a supply trtblanks and liners in separate stacks, devices torcngaging' opposite ends ot-the uppermost blank of one stack operable in opposite directions to reverse said blank and deposit it on the impermost blank 01'' the other stack, a gunnning device for gumming the uppermost blank of one stack and for inserting an end of said blank in one otsaid devi' A machine of the class described comprising in combination means for holding a supply of blanks and liners in separate stacks, devices for engaging opposite ends of the uppermost blank of one stack operable in opposite directions toreverse said blank anddeposit it, on the uppermost blank of theother stack, a gnn'nning device for v 1 1n 1 V. mat-nine ()1. the class described com- V is, anda presser member for pressing said reversed blank onto said stack.

and devices for engaging opposite gumn'iing the uppermost blank of one stack andlor inserting an end of said blank in one of said devices, and a presser member "for pressingsaid reversed blank onto-said stack, and rolls for removing said uppermost blank from said stack. i

6. A machine of the classdescribed comprising in combination, means for holding envelope blanks and liner blanks in stacked relation, a dauber for applying adhesive to the uppermost blank of one stack and for elevating saidblank above said stack,

and grippers for engaging opposite ends of said blank being movable independently in opposite directions to reverse said blank and superpose said blank on the other stack.

7. A machine oi the class described comprising in combination, means for holding envelop blanks and liner blanks in stacked relation, a dauber for applying adhesive to the upper blank of one stack and for elevating said blank above said stack, grippers for engaging opposite ends of an elevated blank, the said grippers being independently movable in opposite directions to reverse said blank, means for releasing one of said grippers whereby the other gripper may superpose said reversed blank on the uppermost blank oi, the other stack, and means for pressing said superposed blanks together and for removing the same from the stack.

8. A machine of the class described comprising in con'ibination, means for holding a supply of envelope blanks and liners in separate stacks, means for elevating an end of the uppermost blank of one of said stacks, grippers -for engaging oppositev ends of said blanks operable in opposite directions to reverse said blank and to superpose the same -on the uppermost blank of the other stack,

ciprocable carriage movable back and forth above said stack, a gumming device carried by said carriage adapted to engage with and supply said dauber with adhesive material, andseparate'gripping devices for engaging the opposite ends of said blank, the said grippers being arranged and adapted to move inopposite directions to reverse said blank and deposit the same on the uppermost blank of the other stack.

'10. A machine of the class described comprising incombination, means for holding a supply of envelope blanks and liners in separate stacks, a vertically reciprocable v dauber for engagmg the uppermost blank of one stack and applying adhesive thereto adapted to raise an end of said blank above said stack, a movable carrier above said stack, a daubing device carried by said carrier adapted to supply said dauber with adhesive,.a gripper carried by said carrier for engaging the elevated end of said blank, a movable gripper for engaging the opposite end 0t said blank, a pair of relatively movable rolls adapted to receive a superposed blank and liner, the said carriage and grippers adapted and arranged to simultaneously 1 move in opposite directions to reverse said blank and superpose the same on the uppermost blank of the other stack in such a position that an end thereof is disposed between'said rolls, a vertically reciprocable presser disposed above said last-named stack for pressing said blanks together, and means for actuating said rolls whereby the superposed blanks are removed from said stack.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. 7 l

GEORGE E. P. COLLINS. 

